"Showing the Power of Shinmyeong"… Samulnori Master Kim Deok-su's 65th Anniversary Performance Celebrating a Life as an Artist

'Shinmyeong-ui Kkot' at National Theater Sky Theater from 2nd to 4th Next Month
Also Includes Meaning of 'Samulnori 45th Anniversary'

"Looking back on my 65 years as a master artist, I want to show the power of sinmyeong, where colleagues and disciples who have been together gather to embrace and heal each other."

Samulnori master Kim Deok-su.
[Photo by Yesulsup]

Kim Deok-su (71), the master and founder of Samulnori, will hold a performance titled "The Flower of Sinmyeong" to commemorate his 65 years of artistic life and the 45th anniversary of Samulnori from November 2 to 4 at the Haneul Theater of the National Theater of Korea in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Samulnori was first performed in February 1978 at the regular concert of the folk music group Sinawi by four people: Kim Deok-su, Kim Yong-bae, Choi Tae-hyun, and Lee Jong-dae, under the program titled "Utdari Pungmul Sitting Performance."

It was later introduced to the international stage through the World Percussion Festival held in Dallas, USA, in 1982. Known worldwide as the origin of the Korean Wave and K-content, it has produced many Samulnori performers.

This performance will be a stage presented by Master Kim Deok-su and his musical comrades.

On the first day of the performance, November 2, Samulnori disciples who have shared the history of Kim Deok-su's Samulnori troupe will gather to present an all-star game. Kim Bok-man and Lee Yoon-gu of "Samulnori Jinsoe," Hong Yoon-gi of "Sadangpae Samulnori," "Samulnori Bon," "Samulnori Iseo," and "Hannuri Yeonhuidan" will take the stage together to create a perfect Samulnori performance.

On November 3 and 4, a collaboration of Korean music evolved with the spirit of Samulnori will be showcased. Wolfgang Puschnik, an Austrian saxophonist and member of Red Sun Samulnori, who has been connected with Samulnori since 1987 and has left many masterpieces, will join the stage.

Shin Hyun-sik, Park Soon-a, Heo Hee-jung, and Jeong Song-hee of Ensemble Sinawi, along with Yoon Hyung-wook and Go Bo-seok of the National Gugak Center's Jeongakdan, percussionists Lee Kyung-seop and Kim Dong-won, singers Nam Sang-il and Jeong Hye-bin, actor Kim Jeong-yeon, and movement artist No Ye-seul will appear to decorate the stage of sinmyeong.

Inspired by "Changi Parangga," a well-known hymn to the Hwarang among Silla hyangga, Master Kim Deok-su expresses the spirit and pride of Korean art introduced to the world through Samulnori in music. He stated, "This will be the best performance commemorating the 45th anniversary of the founding of Samulnori and presenting the future of traditional arts."

Tickets can be reserved through the National Theater of Korea website.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.